


The Miracle of House Riegan

by ttacticianmagician



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Anxiety, Canon-Typical Violence, Claude von Riegan Needs a Hug, Claude von Riegan-centric, Drama, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route Spoilers, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Character Death, My Unit | Byleth Has Emotions, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Politics, Racism/Xenophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:08:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27378493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttacticianmagician/pseuds/ttacticianmagician
Summary: “So.” He breathed out. It was now or never. “During the battle for Garreg Mach, I got hit by a magic missile meant for Teach and fell off a cliff. I’m… not sure what happened after that. I think I was sleeping off my injuries. And then when I woke up, it was five years later, and the day of our promised reunion. I only found out from a passing stranger that Edelgard’s war was still ongoing, and the Church of Seiros was routed from Garreg Mach. I don’t know what else happened.”The room fell quiet. One could hear a pin drop. Even Raphael stopped chewing on his leg of meat.“Claude,” Hilda broke the silence with a frown on her face. “Was the defense of Garreg Mach the last thing you remembered before you woke up?”“... Yes.”In another timeline, Claude is the one to fall asleep for five years. When he wakes up, the Leicester Alliance has shattered, his friends grew up without him, and Byleth is no longer the Ashen Demon he once knew. The task of mending what's broken is a daunting one, but Fodlan's new dawn awaits, and Claude will reach towards it no matter what.Or, a more Claude and Leicester Alliance focused Verdant Wind route.
Relationships: Golden Deer Students & Claude von Riegan, Minor or Background Relationship(s), My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 15
Kudos: 47





	1. Revival

**Author's Note:**

> The idea of this fic actually came from a dream lol. But it intrigued me, so I thought it couldn't hurt to write a bit of it... And then more ideas came to mind, and before I knew it, it quickly spiraled into Verdant Wind with a twist. Typical me. :P 
> 
> I only originally planned the first three chapters as a one-shot, and admittedly, I don't know how much time and energy I'll devote to developing the rest. I'm also not that great in handling politics and stuff, which there's sure to be a lot of. But If there's interest, I'll see how long I can keep this going!
> 
> As a warning, please mind the tags. This fic isn't super happy, although I'd like to think that there's a hopeful tone as well? It will also have some canonical character deaths. But they're not main characters so I didn't think I need to add that archive warning. Still, I might change it in the future if it's warranted.

_You... How long do you intend to sleep?_

He knew that he was dreaming, from how heavy his limbs felt to how fleetingly the images passed him by. But wasn’t it the nature of dreams to immerse him so wholly in their worlds, he wouldn’t suspect otherwise? He wondered that once, or maybe twice, or perhaps even several times, but the answer never came to him, so he let himself drift further.

_Your body is awake. Your eyes must open now, and you must find the strength to stand upon those legs of yours._

During his dreams, memories both familiar and unfamiliar played out in front of him. He walked under the arches of the Almyran Royal Palace, around the canals of Derdriu, and through the corridors of Garreg Mach. He curled up next to his parents, practiced archery with his combat instructor, laughed with his classmates, drank tea with his professor. These cherished scenes were bathed in a warm and welcoming light, until they weren’t. After he lingered in the dreamscape for a long while, or a little while, the sky turned orange and the smell of smoke filled his nostrils. His classmates, his Golden Deer, would drop their smiles and pick up weapons to combat the nebulous nightmares that lurked in growing shadows. His professor, his Teach, would lead the charge with a glowing sword in hand. The Sword of the Creator, the sword that could pierce darkness itself, the Hero’s Relic that could cleave mountains in twain and carve a path towards his dreams. His real dreams, not whatever dreams he listed through right now.

_Like so much rain, a pool of blood has fallen to the ground... As spears and arrows pierce the earth, it weeps. And even now… it weeps._

But that sword wasn’t enough to protect everyone. Blood was spilled. Lives were extinguished. Homes were razed. Tears were shed. Death and destruction played out all around him, yet his body wouldn’t respond to his commands. He couldn’t even scream. The one (or several) time(s) he could move, it was to hurl himself towards Teach, to intercept a dark missile hurtling towards her. The vile dark magic burned his skin like the merciless desert sun. His throat started working at this very moment so he could shriek in pain. Then, he stumbled into a yawning chasm, where he would float in a void for what seemed like eternity until his dreams looped back to more idyllic days.

_In order to survive, they kill. And so, the people of this world are lost in an abyss of suffering. They weep as well._

His dreams continued for so long. First, peaceful bliss. Then, the horrors of war. Sometimes, after he fell, he watched his friends and family mourn his death. Teach cried the most out of everyone. Sometimes, while she wept, she would look up, and the sight of her watery eyes tore his heart into two.

“Please… come back…” She would whisper. Her bare hands would stretch out towards him, an invitation out of this endless cycle, but he couldn’t find the strength to take it. He was still so very tired. When her hands grew cold from waiting, she would retract them to cry into them once more. Sometimes, her sobs were accompanied by unearthly wails.

That was one way he knew he was dreaming. Teach, Byleth, the Ashen Demon, never showed this much emotion. In fact, he had only seen her cry once, when her father died. Would she grieve this much for him, to the point of becoming a weepy, inconsolable mess? Sure, he was the heir to the House Riegan, the star pupil of the Golden Deer, and a close friend, but he still found her dramatic reaction hard to swallow. Because if this dream Byleth was anything like the real Byleth, if she truly cared this much for him, he didn’t know what to do.

_The only one who truly knows the nature of such things is I... Or rather, you…r professor._

Claude’s eyes snapped open. He was still weightless, still trapped in a featureless expanse of darkness, but now he wasn’t alone. Teach was right next to him, somehow able to rest an elbow on her knee and her chin in her palm while sitting on nothing at all. Her seemingly impossible pose, combined with her unnaturally green eyes free of any tears, gave him an impression that something was wrong. This woman wasn’t Teach… was she?

“Ah! You’re finally awake!” She exclaimed in a much-too-chipper voice. “Had I known you would sleep for this long, I would have roused you from your slumber much sooner!”

He blinked, slowly. For some reason, he could still see Teach’s green-ness, even when he closed his eyes. It also hurt to speak, but he mumbled out something barely comprehensible anyway.

“Where… am I? Who are… you?”

Byleth shook her head at his questions. “I am someone you shouldn’t be talking to, and you’re in a place you shouldn’t be in. Come on now. Get up. You need to leave.”

Claude yawned in her face. “I’m still sleepy…”

That answer drew a pout and furrowed eyebrows from Teach. “You’re a complete and utter fool!” She yelled. “Do you know how long she has been waiting for you? How many prayers she and your friends have offered up to me to ensure your survival? Get on your feet. Right now! I'll coddle you no more! You are just like your professor, always needing someone to hold your hand…”

The woman’s babbling words soon gave way to a babbling creek, faint birdsong, and the rustle of leaves on the wind. Claude became acutely aware of some wetness by his feet as well. When he opened his eyes for a second time, he found his face planted in a riverbank and his shoes half-submerged in water. With a prolonged grunt, he pulled himself out of the mud and sat up. His body still felt like a pile of training weights, but he needed to get moving. Or else…

Strange. He thought he needed to get moving or else Byleth would yell at him again, but he couldn’t remember that particular conversation, no matter how hard he tried to recall it. It seemed like something she would say though. Claude’s groans as he stood up were in-synch with his groaning muscles that protested all the sudden movement. He didn’t think he was this out of shape after… falling? Didn't he fall off a cliff? He was sure he did, but then how did he wind up on the river’s edge? And wasn’t he in the middle of a big battle before that…?

Claude rubbed a hand against his cheek and felt some dirt on his face. If Teach wouldn’t yell at him for being so sleepy, she would definitely reprimand him for being so dirty. He stumbled over to the brook with the intent to wash himself, only to come face to face with a stranger’s reflection. The man staring back at him shared his green eyes, tan skin, and umber hair, but he had side-burns down his jawline, and sharp angles instead of childish curves. His tangled hair wasn’t as fluffy as Claude’s, for the lack of a better word. However, he also sported a short braid that dangled on his left side. When Claude tugged at his own braid, the nearly-identical man pulled on his strand of hair in a completely identical way.

Well shit.

Claude frowned. The man on the river’s surface also frowned. Was this really him? How long had he been out for? To make sure he wasn’t still dreaming, Claude reached towards his reflection and threw water at himself. When he blinked water droplets out of his eyes, his new face was still pictured on the river’s surface. 

Seriously, what the hell was going on here?! A desperate scream was building up in his throat, but he refused to let it out. He couldn’t make a scene here. He had to get his bearings straight first. Then, if he still felt overwhelmed, he could shout at the top of his lungs.

Slowly but surely, Claude managed to take deep breaths and calm his pounding heart. Once he wasn’t on the verge of a freakout anymore, he took a moment to study himself. His older self looked more ridiculous than he thought it would, especially since he was wearing his Garreg Mach uniform, complete with the bright yellow half-cape. But despite the years(?!), his clothes still fit his adult frame nicely, minus some sections that were a bit tighter than before. His chest area in particular was feeling pretty snug. Did he somehow grow during his long nap? Judging from the look of things, he didn’t grow taller, but he was still baffled by everything else.

His strange reflection perfectly mimicked the shake of his head. Claude wasn’t going to get answers by staring at himself. He knelt down to splash some more water on his face, then on some dirty spots on his clothes. Unfortunately, his muddied shoes were completely unsalvageable, and they squeaked uncomfortably as he wandered further into the wilderness.

Let’s start what he did know. He was Claude von Riegan, future duke of House Riegan. He attended Garreg Mach’s Officer’s Academy and led the Golden Deer house. He would say he had a very successful year there, thanks to his wonderful classmates and professor, but everything came crashing down when Emperor Edelgard declared war on the Church of Seiros and invaded the monastery. He fought to defend Garreg Mach. The last thing he remembered was taking a dark magic spell for Teach, which pushed him off the edge of a cliff and sent him down a bottomless ravine…

Claude stopped in his tracks. Those events must have been at least several years ago, if his new appearance was anything to go by. So what had he been up to ever since then? Was the war over? Who won? Had he participated and just forgotten about it? Actually, if he was still wearing his student uniform, he doubted that he did much besides falling into a canyon and falling asleep, but that idea made even less sense. Was he sleeping this entire time? He loved a good nap, but snoozing away years of his precious life was a bit much, even for him.

While he was deep in thought, footsteps rustled behind him. Claude instinctively reached for a dagger while he spun around, only to grasp at nothing. Damn it. His only weapon must have gotten lost in the shuffle. But that didn’t mean he was left defenseless. He armed himself with a casual smile as a man in plain clothes stepped out of the undergrowth.

“Huh. Didn’t expect to find anyone here.” The man mumbled. His eyes narrowed at Claude’s black-and-gold outfit. “What’s with your clothes?”

“Oh, it’s part of… a drinking game… gone wrong…” Claude mumbled out. Not only did he still have his charm, he also retained his silver tongue. Wait, if he was several years older, that means he could legally drink now, right?

“Wish I had whatever you had.” The villager chuckled as he bought his lie. 

Claude laughed with him, a deep sound that startled him more than it should. “Believe me, you don’t want it. I’m still nursing a throbbing headache from last night. Say, do you know where I ended up?”

“We’re at the base of the monastery. Or at least, what’s left of it.”

Those words chilled Claude to his very core. “What’s left of it?” He repeated.

“Yeah. Don’t you know? After the Adrestian Empire attacked five years ago, the Church of Seiros don’t live there no more. Nowadays, all you’ll find there are a bunch of bandits…”

Claude’s heart quickened as the man’s answer sank in, word by word. Five years. He’s been out of the loop for five years. During that time, Garreg Mach was abandoned and became a den of thieves. He glanced up at the silhouette of the monastery, nestled in the mountains and looming over valleys like it always did. Now that he got a good look at it, a part of the cathedral did appear shorter than usual. It was unfathomable to think that Edelgard’s assault was successful, his and Byleth’s defense failed, and that a place with such cherished memories would fall into ruin. He would have been torn up over it if he wasn’t still digesting the news.

Hold on. Five years? A sudden realization about that significance jolted through his body. “Good man, would you be able to give me today’s date?” Claude asked while trying to hide the urgency of his voice.

“It's day 25 of the Ethereal Moon, Imperial year 1185. Today was actually supposed to be the millennium festival, but who's got time to think about things like that? With the war and the archbishop still missing and all, I doubt there's a soul to be found who has enough blessings worth counting.”

The rest of the man’s ramblings paled in comparison to what really mattered. Today was the millennium festival. Which also meant today was when Teach and the rest of the Golden Deer were supposed to meet up for a class reunion. Would they have made it, especially since the war was apparently still ongoing? Would they expect him to show up? As much as he hated to admit it, it was foolish to think they clung to any hope of his survival after five years. 

And yet, Claude swore an oath to everyone. He wasn’t about to break it just because of the unusual circumstances leading up to this moment. Turning back to the incredibly helpful man, he gave him a wave and cheerily yelped, “Thanks for that! I have to get going now. My friends, er, drinking buddies, are probably really worried about me!”

“You’re wel- Hey! Where do you think you’re going?” The villager shouted after him when he saw Claude sprinting towards the monastery. 

He was so focused on the destination ahead, he didn’t bother replying back. He heard more exclamations about how thieves still lived there, how it was still dangerous, and some concerns about his sanity, but those yells were overshadowed by Claude’s frantic running, the thudding of his heart, and questions that demanded to be answered. Were Byleth, Hilda, Lorenz, Lysithea, Leonie, Raphael, Ignatz, and Marianne already up there, like they promised? How would they react to his mysterious reappearance? What would he tell them? And what would he do if they weren’t there? What if he was all alone in this strange and cruel future of five years hence?

They had to be there. They just had to be. He couldn’t accept otherwise. At least, not until there’s no other choice. Claude quickly chased that dismal thought away with the sound of his boots scraping against the earth.


	2. Reunion at Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kind reception everyone! This story ended up being pretty fun to brainstorm and write so I think I will continue past the first three original chapters. I hope you all enjoy this update!

The helpful stranger was right. These past five years have not been kind to Garreg Mach. Half-destroyed buildings still bore scars from the Adrestian invasion, weeds and young sprouts poked through gaps in the paved road, and the air was completely still, as if any gust would disturb the rest of the dead. Claude tried to stay upbeat as he passed through familiar scenery, but it wasn’t just the depressing atmosphere that got him down. It was the overwhelming nostalgia coupled with harsh reality. 

Here was where the gatekeeper used to stand and greet passerbys with a smile. Here was the fishing pond Byleth loved so much. Here were the student dormitories. Claude wasn’t feeling courageous enough to check out his room. Here were the classrooms. The yellow, blue, and red flags were smudged with age and wear, but still proclaimed their allegiance proudly. Here was the tea gazebo where he hung out with Byleth every so often. Here was the dining hall where he planned many a feast. Here was-

Claude stopped keeping track of how many landmarks he recognized by the time he reached the bridge to the cathedral. Such a list was weighing too heavily on his heart. To him, all these places were inhabited by students and faculty and knights not too long ago. Now they were empty, save for swirling dust and the occasional scuttling of animals. He didn’t even spot one of those supposed thieves. And he most definitely did not see any of his friends. He didn’t check everywhere yet, but the pessimism from earlier was creeping up on him. What if he was truly all alone? What if he had to wrestle with his time-displacement all by himself?

He slowed to a halt in the middle of the bridge. Now was not the time to entertain these thoughts. He took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. The cathedral was a big place, taking up at least half of Garreg Mach’s campus. There was still a chance he would find someone, anyone. His feet resumed their brisk pace across the weathered stone, producing echoes that rang through the emptiness.

Claude noticed the cathedral’s caved-in ceiling long before he stepped through the gates, but the spectacle still shocked him. This building used to be a beautiful piece of ancient architecture, according to Ignatz, and a place of solace for so many people, according to Marianne. Now it was neither of those things. It was a cold, cavernous shell of its former self that sucked out what little optimism Claude had left. Yeah, he wasn’t a religious person by any means, but the cathedral didn’t deserve the massive pile of rubble in its center. Nor its overturned pews, nor its scattered candelabras, nor the thick layer of dust on its once pristine floors…

He stormed through the exit to the left to get some fresh air. The dreadful state of the Church of Seiros was becoming too much to bear. All around him were signs that things could never go back to the way it was. Edelgard’s invasion ruined more than just the monastery. It ruined people’s lives, hopes, and dreams. It ruined  _ his _ life, hopes, and dreams. He was down five years, his hopes of seeing a familiar face again were slowly but steadily dying, and his dreams of a more open world were scattered to the four winds. Even the stalwart spire in front of him, the Goddess Tower, wasn’t spared from her rampage. Its stone walls were marked with ash, wild ivy crept up its sides, and at the very top, a flock of pigeons suddenly took off into the sky.

That flurry of movement caught his attention. Claude was too far away to have scared them, so what startled them into flight? Was someone up there, perhaps? Be it bandit or Golden Deer, a fire was lit under his feet as he walked, no,  _ ran _ towards the Goddess Tower. His hopes for a familiar face was revived as he practically warped up the stairs. And his dreams for a better future than the one he woke up in returned to him full force as he reached the last floor and the person awaiting him there.

She was just as beautiful as he remembered. Maybe even moreso, with how the light of a new dawn reflected off her soft green hair and bright blue eyes. Sure, Teach looked a bit different, since she now had a white cape billowing behind her and a golden headdress resting on her crown. A portion of her verdant locks, which were long enough to reach past her shoulders, were tied into braids intertwined with white and pink ribbons. But the way she could stupify him with a single glance hadn’t changed at all. In fact, her sheer brilliance rendered him so speechless, Claude couldn’t do or say much besides hold up a hand and greet her weakly.

“Hey. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

His voice unfroze Byleth. She took a wary step forward, her hands slowly lifting from her sides.

“Claude…? Is that you?”

“Yes. It’s me.” He mumbled back. Damn it all. He could have thought of better opening lines if he didn’t rush up here like a man possessed. 

Thankfully, his fumbling didn’t seem to phase Byleth one bit. She took another step closer, her hands now reaching out like she was about to touch a ghost on the edge of reality.

“Claude…” She said his name again. “You’re alive.”

“I am.” His nerves prevented him from saying more than a few words. At least until his shock gave way to the confusion that had been bubbling beneath the surface of his mind. “I still don’t know how I survived the fall, or slept through the last five years, but the important thing is that I’m here now.”

“Everyone thought that you were dead.” She whispered in between shaky breaths. Was she about to cry? “Everyone but me and Hilda and the rest of the Deer. We knew that you wouldn’t be defeated so easily. We hoped and prayed that you were still alive, and now today, of all days, you came back."

She was so close to him now, only a few feet from closing the distance between them. Claude held his arms wide open and smiled.

"Of course. I would never break a promise between my beloved Deer and Teach. Not even death could- oof!"

Byleth didn't let him finish his sentence. Her tentative steps suddenly turned into a full-on lunge. She rammed into Claude, wrapped her arms around his chest, and squeezed so tightly, he could feel his spine snapping.

“Thank you, Claude, for coming back.” She whispered into his chest. “Thank you.”

Her voice cracked on the last words. Now, she was actually crying. Her tears stained his already muddled uniform, doing little to wash away the signs of his unnatural nap, but Claude allowed her to cry anyway. Her raw display of emotions, coupled with heaving and hiccuping, reminded him of a distant memory. Or was it a dream? Back then, Claude didn’t think she would cry so much for his sake, and if she did, he didn’t know what he would do. 

But now he found his answer. Or rather, the answer found him. His mind may have startled at the sudden contact, but his body relaxed into her warm embrace. This feeling… wasn't unwelcome. What was actually more surprising was how small Byleth was in his arms. Even though he hadn't grown an inch in five years, even though her extravagant clothes made her more imposing, even though Claude still saw her as his wise professor that never steered him wrong.

“I missed you. So much.” Byleth choked out.

“I missed you too.” Claude replied in a trembling voice. Truthfully, he couldn’t have missed her as much as she missed him. In her eyes, he was gone for five years, while for Claude, he last saw Byleth only a short time ago. But while wandering around the empty monastery, he came to realize how much she meant to him. How big of a hole she would leave in his heart if she hadn’t upheld her promise and returned on the day of the millennium festival…

That was why he felt the need to hold onto her and not let go. At least, not for a while. Their embrace only ended when Claude’s stomach rumbled loudly. He grinned sheepishly as they pulled away from each other. Yet another way this touching reunion was thwarted by something awkward.

"Oh. Are you hungry?" Teach glanced down at his stomach.

"I don't mean to impose on you soon after we met again… But yeah." Claude chortled.

Byleth didn’t seem to mind, however. She actually prepared for such an occasion by bringing food with her. Claude devoured it all like a rabid beast, but to be fair to himself, he hadn’t eaten in half a decade. Amidst bites, he tried to explain to her again what happened after he intercepted the magic spell meant for Teach. Yes, he fell off a cliff. Yes, he slept for five years. and had strange dreams he couldn’t remember during his extended nap. And yes, he had no clue what transpired while he was gone. He was hoping that Teach would fill in the gaps, but she seemed reluctant to do so while the other Golden Deer weren’t present. She assured him that they were coming, and she would tell him everything once they made it. He nodded in return, not just because he could wait, but because he managed to glean some valuable information just from how she spoke. 

Teach was much more animated now, her voice filled with inflections and her face demonstrating a full spectrum of emotions. He supposed that five years in her fancy new role would turn any stone-cold demon into a normal person. Although to someone like Claude, who knew her quite well, there remained signs of her previous personality. Or previous lack of a personality, really. She kept her sentences as brief as possible, her words occasionally came out stilted, and she could speak in a monotone voice at the drop of a hat. But despite these familiar traits, it still felt like he was in a weird, unbelievable dream...

Now was not the time to dwell on that. According to Teach, there were other important matters to take care of, like making sure Claude’s skills with a bow and arrow were still intact.

“Really, Teach? You’re going to make me exercise after a feast like that?” He laughed as Byleth shoved a weapon in his hands.

“It’s not an exercise.” She replied bluntly. “From here on out, all battles are a matter of life-and-death. There are no knights to protect you from a battle gone wrong, so  _ please  _ don’t throw away your life so recklessly.”

The way she enunciated her ‘please’ diminished Claude’s smirk. She must have seen how Claude sacrificed himself to save her from the dark magic spell, all those years ago. And that memory must have haunted her ever since… 

He gripped his bow until his knuckles turned white. As much as he didn’t want Byleth to get hurt, he didn’t want to put her through that pain again either, so he had no choice but to oblige her.

The ‘exercise’ was really a mission to rout the bandits that infested Garreg Mach. If the two of them were going to entertain guests, they needed to make sure that this place was safe for them first. Despite Byleth’s warning, he felt like a student under his professor’s guidance. In some ways, he still was. The last time he fought, he was still enrolled in the Officer’s Academy, on the cusp of graduation but not quite there thanks to Edelgard’s invasion. But now, he wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to keep being her student. The experience gap between himself and Byleth had only widened in five year’s time. The professor-turned-commander(?) slashed through enemies like butter with the Sword of the Creator, and any foes that escaped her sword’s reach were incinerated by fearsome magic. Meanwhile, Claude's aim hadn't improved, but his targets’ dodging had. He struggled to even hit his foes, much less take them down. These thieves were the real deal, nothing like the lowlives that the Church of Seiros sent a class of children after. He was embarrassed by how much his bow arm had languished, or by how differently his new body reacted to his commands, or maybe by how much he had left to learn in the art of war? He’d prefer either of the first two possibilities, honestly. Nonetheless, he needed to master this first lesson in five years, if only so that he wouldn’t slow Teach down and make her worry for his safety.

And then, true to her words, Claude’s classmates arrived. First came Lorenz and Ignatz, who gaped at the strange yet familiar man wearing the uniform of their ill-fated house leader. Claude gaped at them in return. It took all that he had to not laugh and grin and wave like an overeager child. Instead, once he got close enough, he gave Lorenz a thumbs up and yelled, “Lorenz! I love what you’ve done to your hair!”

He expected the heir of House Gloucester to admonish him for his un-noble behavior, but to his surprise, Lorenz returned the teasing with his own. “Ah yes, the prodigal Claude von Riegan has certainly returned, and I see that nothing about you has changed. Although I can’t say that I missed your colorful antics.”

“He means to say that it’s good to have you back!” Ignatz shouted over the din of battle. “Let’s talk more after we’re finished clearing out these thieves!”

Claude let out an affirmative sound just as Ignatz nailed a ruffian in the heart. The son of a merchant had certainly improved his archery since he last saw him. He would have been proud of how far he came if he was talking about anyone but Ignatz. The gentle soul detested violence back when he was a student, even going so far as to nearly faint at his first kill, but now he had no such qualms. Nothing held him back as he readied and fired another arrow at a bandit descending upon them in one fluid motion. To be honest, Claude was a little frightened at the sudden change, but like Ignatz said, there was a time to discuss it later. He supposed not all changes were as positive as Lorenz’s new haircut and attitude.

Hilda and Leonie were the next to arrive. When the Goneril girl caught sight of her old best friend, she let out a high pitched squeal that everyone must have heard. She had no reservations about dropping her axe and hugging Claude as soon as he approached. Claude tried to squirm his way out of her grip, but it took Leonie’s insistence before she let go.

“Come on! We can’t have much of a reunion if someone gets axed in the middle of it!” Leonie beckoned Hilda towards a group of enemies fast approaching. Surprisingly, Hilda didn’t make a single complaint as she charged at them, axe held high. An eager, bloodthirsty Hilda wasn’t the Hilda Claude knew. However, his bewildered expression was quickly replaced by an impressed one as she mowed through her opponents like a whirlwind of pink and silver and crimson. Despite his earlier doubts, he certainly couldn’t argue against her results.

And then the last three Golden Deer showed up. Raphael, who was already large for his age during his time at the Academy, somehow got even bigger. Lysithea also had grown considerably, both in stature and in aptitude. And Marianne was no longer the timid and meek girl Claude knew. She held her head high, free of the doubts that once haunted her, and her voice rang clearly as she casted spell after spell. Unfortunately, since they appeared on the other side of the battlefield, Claude didn’t get a chance to greet them personally until all the bandits were wiped out.

As soon as the (real) leader’s body hit the ground and didn’t get back up, everyone took a moment to gather their breath before gathering around Claude and Byleth. Their outfits, now in a wide range of colors that would make a rainbow envious, were a far cry from the monochrome student uniforms of yore. They all looked so grown up, so mature and composed, even after cutting down so many lives. At least, compared to Claude himself, who became acutely aware of the student uniform he was still wearing.

“Claude! You one tough son-of-a-bitch, how did you manage to survive?” Leonie grinned as she slapped him on the shoulder.

“Ow! Good to see you too, Leonie, but easy on the goods. I’m still feeling bruises from our fight.”

“I’m so glad you’re alive.” Marianne was the first to speak. “Thank the Goddess for heeding our prayers...”

The blue-haired woman no longer spoke in a barely audible whisper and her eyes were no longer glued to the floor as she conversed. A warm, fuzzy feeling stemming from pride grew in Claude’s heart. How was he supposed to convey that without sounding too gushy? Wait, they didn’t know what he had been up to during these last few years, did they? How was he going to explain what happened?

“It’s good to be back!” He beamed at the kaleidoscope of people around him. “You have no idea how happy I am to see everyone again. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for keeping your promise. It can’t have been easy to return with the, uh, war going on.”

“Ah, that’s nothing! A couple of goons can’t stop our class reunion!” Raphael cheered triumphantly.

“Uh, I wouldn’t call all those bandits just ‘a couple of goons’, but otherwise I agree with you.” Ignatz nodded. “It’s nothing we couldn’t handle.”

“As much as I hate to ruin the festivities,” Lorenz chimed in with a somber expression, “We must know where you have been and what you have been doing ever since you disappeared five years ago. The Alliance has been in dire straits without you.”

“Really, Lorenz? Do you have to be such a mood killer?” Hilda shot him a glare. 

“I know, right? I mean, I get that I’m a big deal in the Alliance, but there’s no need to fluff my ego. It can’t be that bad if you guys made it here...”

Claude leveled his gaze out towards everyone, as if he was a fisherman casting a net for reactions. What he caught was deeply concerning. All the joy in the air evaporated in an instant, leaving behind awkward fidgeting and furtive glances between each of the other Golden Deer.

“Claude… Do you not know what happened?” Lysithea asked in an anxious tone.

“I…” The suddenly serious atmosphere stifled whatever response Claude could come up with. He would have remained rooted in place if it weren’t for Byleth’s gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Let’s talk elsewhere.” She proclaimed. “I have enough food for everyone else as well.”


	3. Five Years Prior

At Teach’s insistence, the (former?) Golden Deer shuffled back into the monastery proper. They wound up in the dining hall, which was surprisingly intact considering the state of the buildings around it. Although they arranged the tables and chairs closely together and amassed Teach’s food in the center of it all, Claude wasn’t feeling too peckish. It was hard to feel hungry when the anticipation was killing him.

“So.” He breathed out. It was now or never. “During the battle for Garreg Mach, I got hit by a magic missile meant for Teach and fell off a cliff. I’m… not sure what happened after that. I think I was sleeping off my injuries. And then when I woke up, it was five years later, and the day of our promised reunion. I only found out from a passing stranger that Edelgard’s war was still ongoing, and the Church of Seiros was routed from Garreg Mach. I don’t know what else happened.”

The room fell quiet. One could hear a pin drop. Even Raphael stopped chewing on his leg of meat.

“Claude,” Hilda broke the silence with a frown on her face. “Was the defense of Garreg Mach the last thing you remembered before you woke up?”

“... Yes.”

“How is that even possible?!” Lysithea stared at him incredulously. “You should be dead! Not that I’m ungrateful for your recovery, but normal people can’t sleep for five years and wake up right as rain!”

“I think… It was my fault.” Byleth interjected. Eight pairs of eyes turned to her in astonishment.

She inhaled before she tried to clarify herself. “You all know how the Goddess’s power dwells within me. When Claude disappeared into the chasm, I did everything I could to bring him back. I even prayed to Sothis, who has long left this world behind. But nothing worked. At least, not immediately. I think that my fervent wishes, combined with everyone else’s, was enough to subconsciously trigger something that kept him safe all these years.”

“If that’s true…” Marianne began, then shook her head. “No. It must be true. There’s no other explanation.”

“And it wouldn’t be the first time the professor created miracles.” Ignatz concurred.

Claude himself had several thoughts on the matter, but ultimately held his tongue. This miracle wouldn’t be enough to make him a follower of the Church of Seiros, yet it did force him to reconsider his opinion of the Goddess. Now that she was brought up, he vaguely recalled talking to a woman who took Byleth’s shape right before he awakened. And she did mention something about the many prayers it took to ensure his survival. Despite how incredible it was, Teach’s theory might warrant some merit...

Lorenz’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. “However, despite Claude’s miraculous return, the circumstances are still most unfortunate. How can a man with no knowledge of the last five years and with the mind of an 18-year-old be expected to lead the Alliance?”

“Hey, before you start doomsaying, you have to fill me in on what happened while I was gone.” Claude ended up sounding more snippy than he meant to. “Don’t worry about pulling any punches. I need to know  _ everything _ .”

His curtness apparently took Lorenz off guard. He startled for a moment before recollecting himself. “If you’re ready for it, then very well. Let’s start from the beginning…”

It was a good thing that Claude was warned beforehand, because otherwise he wouldn’t have been prepared for just how bad things were. After Garreg Mach fell, everyone retreated back to their homes in the Alliance to recuperate. However, now that House Riegan lost their only heir, it was only a matter of time before the Adrestian Empire started pressuring the noble houses closest to the border to join them or die. Indeed, House Gloucester pledged loyalty to Emperor Edelgard only a few months into the war and House Ordelia fell in line soon afterwards. With two of the five great houses under her belt, Edelgard carved a bloody swath to the rest of ruling lords, straight through the center of Alliance lands. It mattered not if a commoner or a noble was at the end of her axe. To those who surrendered, she granted mercy, if being stripped of freedom and resources could be counted as mercy. And to those who fought back, she granted utter destruction.

When Imperial forces were at the doorsteps of House Edmund, the Margrave wisely bent the knee to avoid the worst of her wrath. House Goneril endured the Imperial invasion a little while longer, thanks to their highly trained troops and the impregnable fortress known as Fodlan’s Locket, but even they couldn’t hope to survive on two fronts. The Almyrans, sensing discord across the border, took the opportunity to conduct more and more raids, perhaps as a prelude to a full-scale assault. No one really knew the real reason why their attacks picked up all of the sudden.

Strangely, the Almyran threat allowed House Goneril and the Adrestian Empire to come to a truce of sorts. House Goneril could retain some degree of independence if they focused only on keeping the Almyrans back. The Empire would even give them the resources needed to maintain their defenses. This generous offer shouldn’t have been too surprising, since the Empire and the Alliance once collaborated to build Fodlan’s Locket in the distant past. And it wasn’t like House Goneril had much of a choice anyway. By this point, the Empire had claimed all the land around them, and thus controlled their flow of goods. Any form of resistance could be quelled simply by starving them out. But if the famed General Holst, or anyone from House Goneril, decided to turn against Emperor Edelgard anyway, she would personally pry everything they valued from their cold, dead hands.

And as for House Riegan… Claude felt a lump building up in his throat as the Golden Deer and Byleth continued to dodge an important matter.

“What about my grandfather?” He asked all of the sudden. “Is he…?”

No one met Claude’s piercing gaze at first. Then, Marianne placed a hand on a table, an offer for comfort if he needed it, and a confirmation of his worst fears.

“I’m so sorry.” She whispered. “Duke Riegan wasn’t a very healthy man to start with, and then your apparent death took a great toll on him... He passed away a few months after Garreg Mach fell."

A chilling wave washed over all over him, leaving his limbs heavy and his body numb. Claude let out a shaky breath and covered his face with his hands. 

“Grandfather… I…” 

Claude wasn’t as close to his grandfather as a grandson ought to be, thanks to not having met the man until basically two years ago. Or seven years ago, he supposed? And it wasn’t like Oswald von Riegan was in the best of shape before Claude disappeared. He knew even while he was a student that his grandfather’s passing was not only inevitable, but soon. Still, tears budded in the corners of his eyes, and it took all his strength to not cry in front of everyone. The death of the Leicester Alliance’s sovereign duke wasn’t only the death of a great man, but also...

“If it’s any consolation, Duke Riegan passed away peacefully in his sleep. He didn’t get to personally bear witness to the horrors of war.” Ignatz attempted to comfort him with a gentle voice.

“And he made sure what was left of House Riegan wouldn’t fall into the Empire’s hand so easily.” Lysithea chimed in. “He bequeathed everything he could to Judith von Daphnel and House Daphnel. His spot on the roundtable, Failnaught, even Derdriu itself.”

“Judith, huh…?” Claude blinked his tears away. He didn’t expect her to be brought up like this, but it made sense. Lady Judith, also known as the Hero of Daphnel, was a staunch ally of Oswald. She would never side with the Adrestian Empire, and thus would put her sudden windfall to good use. That bit of news was the first bit of good news he heard ever since he started playing catch up.

Of course, there was still plenty of bad news to be shared. Lorenz shook his head as he inserted himself back into the conversation. “But as one might expect, the pro-Imperial lords questioned the legitimacy of Duke Riegan’s last will and testament. They ended up ignoring it and, during the ensuing power vacuum, claimed much of the former archduke’s territory. All this in-fighting enabled Emperor Edelgard to invade with impunity. By the time House Daphnel could assert control over the remainder of House Riegan lands, Edelgard had already subjugated the other anti-Imperial houses and was well on her way to Derdriu. Judith didn’t have enough time to mount a proper defense, so she did the next best thing. She pulled most of Derdriu’s resources and troops out of the city and into her territory, out of Edelgard’s reach. She also only put up a token fight in order to buy the transfer enough time and to spare Derdriu from significant damage.”

“And she evacuated as many civilians as possible.” Leonie piped up. “Those that could flee went to House Daphnel, and those that couldn’t at least had homes to return to. Although it’s not like living under Emperor Edelgard’s thumb is much better…”

“I get it. Say no more.” Claude grimaced. The conquest of the Aquatic Capital, his home for a singular year, made his blood run cold. But thanks to Judith’s efforts, it wasn’t as impactful as his grandfather’s death. The city still stood and its people still survived. It could be reclaimed, unlike the many lives that this war has taken.

However, any notion of taking back Derdriu would have to remain just a notion for now. He was getting ahead of himself just for entertaining it. Claude chased those thoughts out of his head to focus on more important matters. “So how is House Daphnel faring? Is Judith still hanging in there?”

“Yeah. Barely.” Hilda answered with a frown. “Imperial forces have driven them west, closer to Ailell, but that actually worked out in their favor, because who wants to fight over a bunch of fire and brimstone?”

“Not to mention, they allied with the lords of Eastern Faerghus, who are also the last obstacles to Edelgard’s conquest of Fodlan.” Lysithea added. “House Fraldarius, Gautier, Galatea, and Charon are holding on the best they can against the forces of Western and Central Faerghus. It’s not the ideal situation for anyone, but at least we don't have to worry about getting flanked from the Kingdom, and vice versa.”

“Wait, why are the lords of Faerghus fighting each other? What happened to Prince Dimitri?”

“Oh…” Marianne gasped. That tiny sound sent shivers down Claude’s spine. He wasn’t sure how much more bad news he could take.

“Do you want to keep listening? We can stop for today, and let you get some rest.” Byleth said reassuringly.

“No. I mean, yes.” Claude replied hurriedly. “I already had enough rest. Five years' worth, in fact. What I need now is answers, lots of them.”

“If you’re certain…”

This time, it was Byleth who relayed the downfall of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. Soon after Garreg Mach fell, Prince Dimitri was said to have murdered his uncle, the king regent, in a fit of rage. The Kingdom’s capital, Fhirdiad, then announced that the prince had been executed, but numerous spies cast that claim into doubt. The execution was carried out behind closed doors, and Dimitri’s body was never shown to the public. Still, it mattered little if he was actually dead or not. A royal court mage known as Cornelia Arnim made herself ruler and openly allied with the Adrestian Empire when Dimitri’s corpse hadn’t even cooled yet. Much of Western Faerghus followed her lead, and any lords that didn’t readily accept their new rulers were quickly suppressed. Cornelia's part of the Kingdom became known as the Faerghus Dukedom, an unsettling sign of her vassalage to Emperor Edelgard.

However, the four noble houses that formed the backbone of Faerghus’s eastern frontier didn’t give up so easily. With the power of Hero’s Relics, young heirs and heiresses that recently attended the Officer’s Academy, and unwavering loyalty to the late prince, they were able to stand tall against the Empire, even to this day. Their truce with House Daphnel helped both factions survive, but sadly, they lacked the resources and manpower needed to truly ride to the Alliance’s aid. These inabilities were further compounded by the same thing that shielded House Daphnel from most of Edelgard’s fury. Ailell was the only passage through an impassable mountain range big enough to allow the movement of troops, but it was marred by lava, geysers, and oppressive heat that gave the valley its unflattering nickname, the Valley of Torment. Any transfers would have to be conducted slowly and carefully, which was impossible with the Adrestian Empire breathing down their necks.

But apparently, there was yet another allied faction in play. One that was more mobile than House Daphnel and the Eastern Faerghus lords, and more amenable to negotiations because their leader was right in front of Claude.

"You're leading the Knight of Seiros now?" Claude asked Byleth incredulously.

"I am." She nodded back. "Rhea entrusted me with the Church of Seiros before she disappeared five years ago. However, we lost much when Garreg Mach fell, and the situation has only gotten worse. Our resources have dwindled, we’ve lost so many good men and women, and Rhea is still missing…"

Byleth glanced down to her lap, where her fingers were curled on top of her knees. Claude sympathized with her, but at the same time, he wondered if she was going to answer an unspoken question of his. He didn't want to say it out loud, in fear of sounding demanding, but it burned on his tongue nonetheless. Luckily, Byleth picked her gaze back up before he said anything.

"At the start of the war, our main focus was to find Rhea. We also conducted other missions that were more humanitarian in scope. The Knights of Seiros aided refugees who lost everything to the Empire, protected villages overlooked by local lords, and kept up the spirit of the faithful. However, it quickly became apparent that we had to do more if we were going to win this war. 

"As acting archbishop, I tried to stop Dimitri's execution, but my insistence only spurred Cornelia. She moved the execution to the very next morning. Her blatant act of defiance against the Church was the start of the long and bloody battles between the Faerghus Dukedom and Eastern Faerghus. The Knights of Seiros did their best to help the eastern Kingdom lords, as well as the anti-Imperial lords of the Alliance, but we ended up spreading ourselves out too thinly. We, or rather, I was faced with a difficult choice. I had to decide which nation to throw our entire weight behind, or else face a complete loss across all of Fodlan."

"And which nation did you choose?" Claude asked, even though he already knew her answer.

“I chose to support the Alliance, of course. I couldn't leave my former students to their fates. But in the end…”

Byeth let out a sigh. “The Knights of Seiros couldn’t stop Emperor Edelgard’s advance. She gained too much from her conquests, and we had lost too much from unwinnable skirmishes. Judith didn’t even want us on the front lines of Derdriu. She asked us to protect House Daphnel and the evacuees heading there instead. But I do wonder if I could have made a difference had I made my decision sooner..."

“Please, professor, don't beat yourself up over this." Ignatz interjected. "Without you and the Church, countless lives would have been lost. Ours included. You're the only reason why we still have a fighting chance today.”

“Yeah, from the sound of it, Judith knew that Derdriu was doomed, even with the Knights of Seiros on her side." Claude tried his best to keep his tone normal and free of grief. "If I were in her shoes, I would’ve done the same, honestly. I wouldn’t want to sacrifice someone so important for a bunch of buildings. So don't worry about it, Teach.”

“... Thank you both. That's very kind of you to say.” Byleth said towards Ignatz and Claude. Although not all of her gloominess was dispelled, she was able to lighten the mood with a smile.

“But I have to ask something now that I’ve been briefed. Where were each of you throughout these past few years?” He aimed his gaze towards several of the Golden Deer in particular. “I’m not accusing anyone of anything, but from what I’ve heard so far, some of you shouldn’t even be here.”

Lorenz fidgeted in his seat as he answered. “While it’s true that House Gloucester has formally allied with the Adrestian Empire, I do not share my father’s view of the matter. Siding with Emperor Edelgard may have spared us in the short term, but it is clear that she harbors a deep hatred towards the current system of nobility, and will demolish it once she’s the supreme leader of Fodlan. This sort of upheaval will not only destroy our way of life, but countless others as well. 

“So no. Although my family’s place in the Empire can afford to do so, I cannot sit back and watch the world burn. I will do whatever I can to restore peace, even if it requires defying my father and discarding my claim to House Gloucester.”

Huh. Claude didn’t know what to say to him at first. The Lorenz he knew waxed so many poetics about his noble duty, it sounded like there was nothing else in the world for him. He definitely didn’t expect Lorenz to abandon his title during these precarious five years. Claude wanted to commend him for choosing his values over his noble obligations, but the choice he made couldn’t have been an easy one to make. Even now, he noticed some signs of Lorenz’s suffering. The bags under his eyes, his nervous side-glances, the slight waver in his voice as he tried to defend himself… There was no way Claude could comfort him with words alone. Not when he just awoken, anyway.

Byleth chose to speak up at this moment, saving Lorenz from further grief. “In order to attend today’s reunion, the Knights of Seiros and I had to sneak him out of his own territory.”

“And me.” Lysithea piped up. “The professor had to sneak me out too, but not because my parents were loyal to Edelgard. They were simply worried for my safety.”

“I see. What about you two?” Claude turned to Marianne and Hilda next. “House Edmund and House Goneril have also sided with the Empire, or at least are restricted by it.”

“Th-that’s right.” Marianne nodded. “But my adoptive father holds no love towards them… He let me return to Garreg Mach because he wants to help any resistance fighters out there, without drawing any ire to his house.”

“Same here for me.” Hilda chimed in more cheerily than the others. “And being stuck in Fodlan’s Locket was both boring and harrowing, if you can believe it. Not only were we constantly watched by Adrestian goons, we had to live under the threat of Almyran raids. All this fighting has made my brother more overprotective than usual, to the point where being here is more relaxing than being back home!”

“Heh. I can imagine that.” Claude chuckled before eyeing the rest of the Golden Deer. “So as for our non-noble members…”

“Oh. Raphael and I joined House Daphnel’s resistance as knights.” Ignatz nodded. “We have the training and the connections, so we wanted to use them to defend our homes.”

“Really?” Claude had seen bits of their resolve during the fight against bandits, in the form of Ignatz’s steadfastness as he fired his arrows and Raphael’s eagerness to piledrive thieves into the ground, but it still took him off guard to hear things like that. He wondered if Ignatz had given up his dream of becoming an artist with the advent of the war, but Raphael’s booming voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

“Yeah! Stopping the war is the only way I can keep my lil’ sis and grandpa safe!” He pumped a fist into the air. “And enlisting as a knight is the only way to keep Ignatz safe too!”

“Ah, Raphael, please, I told you before…”

“Well I might not have a fancy knight title, but I’ve been doing work around the Alliance too!” Leonie interrupted the two men. “As a mercenary, mind you, but at least I don’t get bogged down in politics like most other soldiers.”

“That’s good.” Claude let out a thoughtful sounding hum. “No, seriously. You all did good. Despite all the hardships, everyone did well to keep our promise from five years ago. I don’t want to make light of your sacrifices by simply thanking you, so let’s make a new promise instead.”

“What kind of promise?” Byleth blinked.

“Let’s…”

Whatever words he was going to say shriveled under so many expectant gazes. His idea had been building up throughout this entire reunion, but now that he was about to vocalize it, he couldn’t help but hesitate. Lorenz, Hilda, Marianne, Ignatz, Raphael, Leonie, Lysithea, Byleth… They’ve all been through so much, from fighting in a five-year-long war to betraying their families to weathering harsh losses. While Claude had unfortunately and inconveniently slept through it all. 

And yet, everyone managed to assemble here on the promised day, Claude included. He wasn't a big believer in fate, but he couldn't deny that his miraculous return sparked a glimmer of hope in the others. Why else would they hang onto his every word? They didn't even need to mention their shared dream out loud, because he understood them as soon as he heard that his grandfather died.

Claude was now the new archduke of the Alliance. It was an unenviable position, but it held the power to bring together not only a broken collection of lords, but also friends and allies from all over. So he must shoulder this burden, no matter how inadequate he felt. There was no other way he could fan that ambitious spark into a flame large enough to challenge the Empire.

With his lofty goal in mind, he took a deep breath and began again. “Let’s work together to take back our homes from the Adrestian Empire, and stop Edelgard’s conquest once and for all. What do you all say to that?”

No one reacted at first. Claude knew that his proclamation carried a lot of weight, but he didn’t think it was too heavy for everyone. To his relief, the first visible reaction was a smile and a nod from Byleth.

"The Church of Seiros and I will join you. You have our full support."

"And our support as well! Don’t forget about your favorite Golden Deer!" Hilda exclaimed, followed by affirmations from the others.

“Yeah! It’s about time we knock Edelgard down a peg!”

“My lance is yours, free of charge. I have to fight for every village she burned and every innocent person she killed!”

“I’ll join too. I can’t let the Empire continue its rampage any longer.”

“I can’t say that I’m eager for more violence, but if this will end the bloodshed, then I’m with you.”

“Please, Goddess, continue to watch over us as you have before…”

“Although you returned to us in an entirely unexpected manner, the outcome of your return is how I envisioned it.” Lorenz was the last to speak, but of course he had the most to say. “I can’t imagine anyone else leading the Golden Deer to glory. So I, Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, will also pledge my unwavering loyalty to your cause. ”

“ _ Our _ cause.” Claude corrected him. He almost took a moment to comment on Lorenz’s seemingly honest pledge, but held his tongue. If they were having this discussion five years ago, the heir to House Gloucester would’ve most definitely fought Claude for the role of leader. Lorenz’s sudden (at least to Claude) change of heart was in line with his earlier behavior and story, but it still felt very surreal. Like everything else that happened today.

There were other times when Claude could assess Lorenz’s sincerity, among other things. For now, he looked out towards everyone and spoke with his chin held high. 

“We’re not just fighting for my sake. Everyone here has also lost someone or something to Edelgard’s conquest. But I can’t win this war or bring peace back to Fodlan by myself. I’m counting on the bonds that drew us back together, five years after our first promise was made. And as grateful as I am to hear the strength of our friendship out loud, this fateful reunion is only the first step. We have a long road ahead of us, most likely rife with more ordeals and pain, but I believe that we’ll prevail through it all. How could we not, when we got men and women that bucked the yoke of their houses, knights and mercenaries that seek to protect life no matter what, and someone that returned from the dead after five years?”

Claude grabbed a cup of severely watered-down wine and held it up in the air. “Let’s toast! To the Alliance’s comeback, and to a new dawn of Fodlan!”

* * *

The celebratory feast ended up much of the day. But to be fair, they didn’t just eat and drink and make merry. If they really were going to go ahead and form a resistance army under Edelgard’s nose, there was a lot of planning needed. Some of which they got out of the way during their feast. 

Claude and the others decided to make Garreg Mach the base of their operations, thanks to its strategic location. However, that meant the monastery would have to be restored, not necessarily to its former glory but at least to the standards of a fortress. Claude wasn’t sure where they were going to get the money, materials, and manpower to accomplish such an enormous task, but between the Knights of Seiros, House Daphnel, and maybe the lords of Eastern Faerghus, they could probably figure something out.

Figure out later, that is. Claude tuckered himself out on all the lively discussion and the best meal he had in five years. Yes, he knew that he only ate stale bread, bruised fruit, dried meat, tiny cheese pieces, and whatever sweets Byleth could find, but everything tasted better with good company. Anyway, after everything was said and done for today, Claude excused himself to his room.

His old dormitory was coated in a healthy layer of dust, but otherwise, it was exactly how he left it. Books both borrowed and his own were still strewn about haphazardly. A vase of flowers from Teach still sat on his windowsill, although the flowers have obviously seen better days by now. His desk was still cluttered with letters, pens, books, and components for his latest poisons. Even the bag he packed for evacuation was still next to his bed, waiting for him ever since that battle five years ago.

Well, if Garreg Mach was going to get cleaned up, Claude might as well start with his room. He was honestly surprised no one broke in here to snoop around while he was gone. Sure, he made sure to hide or destroy evidence of his juiciest secrets right before Edelgard’s invasion, in case he never came back, but he didn’t get rid of everything. 

When he reached into a pocket of his school uniform, Claude was shocked that a key was still inside. Shocked and thankful. He inserted that key into a lock on his desk, then opened up the compartment to reveal a handful of letters inside. Some of them were adorned with a familiar crescent moon, others had no symbols on them whatsoever, and even fewer were marked with a stylized bow and arrow surrounded by a lacy halo. But Claude was intent on pulling out all the letters with the seal of House Riegan.

He had no idea why he was doing this. Claude wasn’t exactly sentimental towards his grandfather during his time in the Officer’s Academy. He kept his letters because they had important information in them, stuff that he could use later. And yet, he set aside the longest and most detailed sheets of papers. His frantic search only came to an end when he found the latest letter from his grandfather. Dated two weeks before the attack on Garreg Mach, Duke Riegan’s meticulous handwriting bade him to be careful during the upcoming battle, and to return home safely as soon as this was all over.

Fuck. Claude had managed to fulfill neither of his grandfather’s last wishes. Tears welled up as all of his bottled feelings came bursting out all at once. He wiped his eyes so nothing would drip on the fragile letter in his hands.

Oswald von Riegan wasn’t just Claude’s grandfather. He was a natural leader, almost like a force of nature in the Derdriu roundtable. He could cease every noble’s squabbling with a single glance and could parse venomous intentions out of honey-smothered words. Yet he treated an outsider like Claude kindly. Well, as kindly as he could while also training him as his heir. Oswald taught him everything he needed to know, made sure that he never seriously wanted for anything, and, behind closed doors, was almost as warm as he was powerful. He even knew of Claude’s Almyran heritage, and didn’t treat him differently for that. Claude knew that part of his treatment stemmed from the fact that he was the only suitable heir left, but he still thought well of his grandfather regardless. In fact, he actually  _ liked _ him. 

The world suffered without him.  _ He _ would suffer without him. With his grandfather’s death and Claude’s miraculous return, the fate of the Alliance was now in his hands. And admittedly, he didn’t feel half as confident as he sounded to his friends. His toasting speech was composed of half sincerity, half bullshit. He was certain that Byleth, Hilda, Lorenz, and the rest of the Golden Deer would do fine. They’ve been fighting in this war for this long. But as for Claude? One minute, he was a student at Garreg Mach. The very next minute, he was thrust into a strange world where everything had changed, from the state of the Alliance to his stoic Teach. It will take some time getting used to all the discrepancies, time that he might not have with Edelgard’s axe dangling so closely to his head. 

Gods damn it all. What did he get himself into? Claude slapped his grandfather’s letter on his desk a bit too loudly for his liking. He didn’t exactly have a choice. He couldn’t disappoint those who pinned their hopes on their former house leader, current archduke. He couldn’t let anyone see him as a scared boy flailing around like a fish out of water. He had to keep pretending like he got a handle on things, like he knew what he was doing. 

But as for now, in the sanctuary of his bedroom, Claude allowed himself to grieve. For his grandfather, who passed long ago, and for the uncertainty of his future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If this story was just these three chapters, I would have stopped right after Claude toasted to a new dawn. But since I'm continuing it, I added some angst at the end as a treat. :^)


End file.
